Thank you for purchasing the RadioShack TRC521 CB Radio. It provides two-waycommunication on the citizen’s radio band and lets you tune to local and national weather service broadcasts. It provides the maximum legal power output for the greatest available range, and abuilt-inPLL(phase-lockedloop) frequency synthesizer to reduce congestion.

CB radio provides hours of fun and entertainment! Listen and talk to people from all over the country while traveling, and make new friends along routes that you regularly travel. It is also a great way to keep informed of local emergencies, such as traffic accidents, road blocks, weather alerts and so on.

! IMPORTANT!

If an icon appears at the end of a paragraph, go to the box on that page with the corresponding icon for pertinent information.

Mount the CB securely to avoid damage to the CB or vehicle, and to avoid injury to anyone in the vehicle during sudden starts or stops.

CB RADIO SETUP

Your CB’s display is protected during shipment by a piece of clear film. Carefully peel off this film before using your radio.

ATTACH THEMICROPHONEHOLDER

You can attach the microphone holder horizontally or vertically to either side of your CB.

Vertical

Microphone

Horizontal

Holder

To attach the microphone holder somewhere else, follow these steps.

1.Use the microphone holder as a template to mark the positions for the mounting screws at the desired mounting location.

2.Drill a hole at the marked position. Do not drill into anything behind the mounting surface.

3.Attach the microphone holder to the mounting surface using the supplied (small) machine screws and lockwashers.

MOUNT THECB

Find a convenient location in your vehicle to mount your CB. If you are uncomfortable mounting the CB yourself, consult with your vehicle service center or automotive dealer for assistance. o

Select a mounting location where:

•you can easily reach the CB.

•wires and cables are clear of the vehicle’s pedals or other moving parts.

•the CB is not directly in front of heating vents.

•all wires and cables can reach their connection points.

1.Use the mounting bracket as a template to mark the positions for the screws on the mounting surface.

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2.At the marked positions, drill a hole slightly smaller than the mounting screws. Do not drill into objects behind the mounting surface.

3.Secure the mounting bracket to the mounting surface with the supplied screws and lockwashers.

Screws and Lockwashers

Mounting Bracket

Mounting

Knobs

Rubber

Washers

4.Attach the CB to the mounting bracket with the supplied rubber washers and mounting knobs.

Microphone

CONNECT THEMICROPHONEJack

1.

Align the holes inside

the microphone’s plug

with the pins in the

microphone jack and

insert the plug.

2.

Turn the plug’s locking

nut clockwise to secure

it.

Locking

3.

Slide the microphone

Nut

Microphone Plug

onto the holder.

4.To disconnect the microphone, unscrew the locking nut and pull the microphone plug toward you. Do not pull the microphone cable.

CONNECTING ANANTENNA

To use this CB, you need a mobile or base station antenna. There are many types of antennas for CBs. Each type has its own benefits, so choose the one that best meets your needs. Your local RadioShack store sells a wide variety of antennas. If you are using this CB as a base station, see “Using the CB as a Base Station” on Page 5.

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EXT. SP.

CAUTION

•Avoid routing the cable next to sharp edges or moving parts, which might damage the cable.

•Do not run the cable next to power cables or other radio antenna cables.

•Do not run the cable through the engine compartment or other areas that produce extreme heat.

Ô NOTEÔ

Do not connect the black wire to a non-metallic(plastic) part, or to any part insulated from the vehicle’s chassis by anon-metallicpart.

Dual band antennas provide optimum reception of CB and WX channels. For mobile installations (car, boat), a nondirectional antenna provides the best CB reception. Mobile antennas use your vehicle’s metal body as a ground plane. If the CB is installed in a boat, your boat’s steel hull is used as a ground plane. Without a steel hull serving as a ground plane, you will not receive maximum efficiency. Before using your CB in a boat, consult with your boat dealer regarding an adequate grounding system.

Keep in mind that for the best performance you should mount the antenna:

•

as high as possible.

•

as far as possible from sources

Black and red

of electrical noise.

POWER wires

•

vertically.

1.

Follow the antenna’s

instructions to mount it.

2.

Route the antenna cable to

ANT. Jack

the CB radio and connect it

to the ANT. jack.

Antenna Cable

CONNECTING TOVEHICLEBATTERYPOWER

1.Connect the CB’s red POWER wire to a terminal in your vehicle’s fuse box that has power only when the ignition is in the ACC (accessory) or ON position.

2.Connect the CB’s black POWER wire to a metal part of the vehicle’s frame (chassis ground).Ô

CONNECTING ANOPTIONAL

EXTERNALSPEAKER

You can connect an

external speaker to the EXT. SP. Jack CB. Use an8-ohm

speaker with a 1/8-inch(3.5-mm)plug. Insert the speaker’s plug into the CB’s jack.

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USING THE CB AS A BASE STATION

Although this CB is designed for mobile use, you can use it as a base station with an AC power source. Your local RadioShack store carries a wide selection of base station antennas, coaxial antenna cable, connectors, and base station power supplies. For base station installation, you need the following items:

•a 12-voltDC power supply that can supply at least 1.5 amps.

•base station antenna.

•coaxial antenna cable and connectors.

1. Mount the base station antenna as described in its owner’s manual. o

2. Connect the antenna cable to the

ANT. jack on the back of the CB.ANT.

Jack

3. Connect the CB’s black POWER Cable wire to the negative(–)terminal

on the DC power supply.

DC Power Supply

Red wire connected to + terminal

Black wire connected to – terminal

4.Connect the CB’s red POWER wire to the positive (+) terminal on the DC power supply.

5.Connect the DC power supply to a standard AC outlet.

CAUTION

Most 12-voltDC power supplies plug into a standard AC outlet to produce DC power. Before connecting your CB to a12-voltDC power supply, read and follow the instructions included with the power supply.

oWARNINGo

Use extreme caution when you install or remove a base station CB antenna. If the antenna starts to fall, let it go. It could contact overhead power lines. If the antenna touches a power line, contact with the antenna, mast, cable, or guy wires can cause electrocution and death. Call the power company to remove the antenna. DO NOT attempt to do so yourself.

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ÔNOTE Ô

•Only rotate SQUELCH until the hissing stops. If you continue to rotate it clockwise, you will be unable to receive any signals.

•You may want to purchase an SWR (Standard Wave Ratio) meter to measure your range and signal strength. This will enable you to adjust your antenna for maximum range, and determine the best position for RF GAIN. See your SWR meter owner’s manual for instruction on how to use it.

RECEIVING AND

TRANSMITTING

We recommend you try receiving transmissions before you transmit.

RECEIVING

1.Rotate OFF/VOLUME towardsOFF until it clicks to turn off the CB.

2.Slide CB/WX toCB.

3.Rotate SQUELCH fully counterclockwise.

4.Rotate RF GAIN fully clockwise.

5.Rotate OFF/VOLUME clockwise to turn on the CB. The display lights and the channel number appears. An alert sounds if a weather alert signal is detected (see “Using Digital Weather Alert” on Page 10).

6.To decrease CB sensitivity so you do not hear weak, distant signals, slowly rotate SQUELCH clockwise until the hissing stops. To increase sensitivity and to receive

Because your CB is exceptionally quiet, any noise you hear is probably from an external source in your vehicle, such as the alternator, another radio, or spark plugs. You can determine the noise source by turning off the engine and operating the CB with your vehicle’s ignition set to ACC. If the noise is reduced, the problem is in your vehicle’s ignition or electrical system.

•Install noise suppressors on your spark plugs, or install new spark plugs that have built-innoise suppressors.

•If problems persist, check your alternator/generator and regulator gauges. You can reduce the noise from these sources by using bypass capacitors at the various output voltage points.

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ÔNOTE Ô

•PTT does not work whenCB/WX is set toWX. You can only send transmissions when in CB mode.

•You cannot transmit while WX/ ALERT flashes in CB mode.

•The alert tones for a Test and EAT (Emergency Action Termination) sound very similar. We suggest you switch to WX mode immediately to listen to the weather broadcast.

•Because of atmospheric conditions, you may receive signals that do not contain information relevant to the emergency level. This is normal.

•The radio sounds an alert regardless of the channel setting.

•The CB will not sound an alert while you are transmitting.

•If you are in a rural or fringe area, your radio might be triggered by an alert broadcast in one area, but not be triggered if you travel to another area (even close by).

LISTENING TO THE WEATHER BAND

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) broadcasts local forecast and regional weather information on one or more of seven channels in the US. We have pre-programmedyour CB with all seven of these frequencies.

Channel

Frequency (MHz)

WX1

162.400

WX2

162.425

WX3

162.450

WX4

162.475

WX5

162.500

WX6

162.525

WX7

162.550

To listen to a weather broadcast or alert, slide CB/WX toWX. RotateCHANNEL to select a frequency.Ô

To verify reception, your radio must receive a test or emergency alert broadcast. The National Weather Service broadcasts a test alert every week. To find the specific test schedule in your area, contact your local NOAA or National Weather Service office.

USINGDIGITALWEATHERALERT

When in CB mode, the radio automatically sounds an alert if a weather alert signal is detected. This is especially useful when your area is expecting severe weather conditions.

When your local weather station broadcasts a severe weather alert, the CB sounds a tone corresponding to the alert type and WX/ALERT lights.